Healthy Victorville Safe Routes to School Task Force Campaign

VICTORVILLE: In an effort to improve pedestrian safety and encourage walking and biking, the Healthy Victorville Safe Routes to School Task Force is launching a new “It’s Up to All of Us” sign campaign to remind residents to stay alert for pedestrians.

The “It’s Up to All of Us” Campaign is made possible by the California Department of Public Health, through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

The sign campaign is a community outreach effort to promote targeted messages that focus on reducing pedestrian fatalities and injuries. The signs will be placed at twelve locations containing a message to drivers: “Drive Like Our Lives Depend on It” and reminding pedestrians to “Stay Alert – Stay Alive.”

One of the most critical changes urged by the campaign is for drivers to slow down. In the Victor Valley, speeds through residential and business areas where pedestrians frequent can be as high as 50 miles per hour. As speeds increase, so does the percentage of fatalities. Only about five percent of pedestrians are likely to be killed if struck at 20 mph, whereas nearly 80 percent of pedestrians are likely to be killed if struck at 40 mph.

One of the campaign’s goals is to motivate people to walk more often and feel safe doing so. “It’s Up to All of Us” is designed to increase awareness of pedestrian safety by providing concrete reminders about actions that promote a safer environment. The first three signs will be installed in bus shelters. The remaining signs will be in place within the next two weeks.

“This campaign can have a significant impact on people’s lives. If even one life is saved or one tragedy is averted due to our efforts, we will have been successful,” said Vickie Mack, community liaison for the task force.

ABOUT Victorville SRTS Task Force: The Victorville Safe Routes to School Task Force was established in 2012 as a subcommittee of Healthy Victorville. It is comprised of stakeholders and community leaders who have come together to help increase physical activity among school aged children by encouraging biking and walking to school.